2. Pharmaceutical
Selling
skills

3. Submitted to:
Respected Mam Sadia

4. Submitted by:



Saba Ahmed
Pharm- D
The University Of Faisalabad

5. Contents:
• Aim
• What Is Selling?
• Philosophy of Selling
• The 7 basic selling steps
• Objectives of Greeting and Opening
• Asking Questions
• DAPA Method of Selling
• Presenting the benefits of the Product
• Handling Objections
• Selling the Price
• Closing A Sale

6. AIM
 To Create an Outstanding Success for Your Brands
 Understand in depth, the role of Sales Team
 Develop a Framework for an Effective Sales Approach

7. To satisfy a Need / Want with your
product for Mutual Benefits.

8. Philosophy Of Selling
Selling = Motivating Doctor’s Commitment
Medical Rep
All good reasons
why a doctor
should prescribe
your product
DOCTOR
All the things that
a doctor has to
give up
BY ASKING

9. The 7 Basic Selling Steps
1. Pre call
planning
2. Opening
3.
Questioning
4.
Presentation
7. Post call
analysis
6. Closing
5. Handling
objections

10. 1. Pre call
planning

Targeting

Call preparation

• Posture,
Facial
Expressions,
Dressing &
Grooming
Projecting the
right company
image

Utilize waiting
time
• Identifying the right
doctors
• Review last call
• Objective selling:
S.M.A.R.T =
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Re
alistic, Time bound
• Observe different things
• No. of patients, sex, age,
economic status

11. 2. Opening
Opening is the skill of capturing the doctor’s
attention and focusing the sales call.
Steps of
opening:
Types of
opening:
•
•
•
•
Greeting
Rapport building
Purpose of call
Initiating business discussion
• Need/Benefit opening:
• Identify a known or presumed need
• Offer a product feature & benefit to
satisfy that need.
• Opening as a question
• Stimulating opening

12. 3. Questioning
• Questioning is used for the purpose of gaining
information to use in the sales call.
• Start with open questions and then move to close
questions.
Open Questioning:
• Invites an extended doctor response
• Start with
What, When, Why, Where, Who &
How
Closed Questioning:
• Invites a “Yes” or “No” reply from the
doctor
• Start with Do, Will, Is, Should
Choice
Questioning:
• Give doctor two or more positive
options in order to rule out a negative
“No” response.

13. 4. Presentation
Presentation is zeroing on the doctor’s identified
Needs/Wants with appropriate Product Features and
Benefits.
During
Presentation:
• Sit up straight in front of the doctor
• Look confident and speak with
enthusiasm.
• Hold the Detail Aid in front and use a pen
to focus doctors attention
• Don’t look at the Detail Aid, look at the
doctor. Observe his/her actions.
• If interrupted, do a brief recap before
continuing
• Don’t be distracted by surroundings

14. 5. Handling
objections
• Can be question, comment or query.
• Shows interest of the doctor in your product.
Misunderstanding:
Skepticism:
Real Objection:
• An incorrect negative perception
because of misinformation.
• To handle this provide the right
information.
• A doctor’s doubt that your product can
actually deliver the stated benefit.
• Offer proof (clinical studies, references)
• A real short coming or disadvantage of
your product.
• To handle real objection, minimize the
impact by focusing on the advantages.

15. 5. Handling
objections
Indifference:
Hidden Objection:
• Doctor is not interested in your product
because doctor is satisfied with
competitor’s product or doctor has never
used that type of product.
• Identify a need that can not be satisfied
by the doctor’s preferred product.
• Doctor does not openly raise an
objection because the doctor is
disinterested.
• How to handle: Ask doctor if they have
concerns.

16. 6. Closing
After
Presentation:
Real success of a sales call depends on the use of
effective closing.
• Review all the benefits accepted by the
doctor
• Ask for business (trial use, continued
use, expanded use)
• Wait for a response.

17. 7. Post call
analysis
After
leaving the
chamber:
Post call analysis is the process of evaluating and
recording the outcome of the call, in order to plan for
future calls.
• Evaluate the Call
• Record Call Information
• Set Objectives for next meeting with the
doctor.

18. Objectives Of Greeting &
Opening
Positive atmosphere
Exchange
of names
Simply connect
Start a gentle
conversation

19. Asking Questions
 Questions are used to PROBE information from doctors
 Questions starting with
WHAT
WHERE
WHY
HOW
WHO
WHICH
are very useful

20. DAPA Method Of Selling
D efine the doctor’s requirement for your product.
A cceptance by the doctor of the requirements.
P rove that your product can fulfil the doctor’s requirement.
A cceptance of the proof by the doctor.

21. *
NEED
what the doctor
wants?
what the doctor
gains?
FEATURE/
OFFERING
BENEFIT
what do we offer?

22. *
Objection – An Obstacle Or An Opportunity
When Do Objections come?
 When D to A from DAPA is not done
 It’s a doctor tactic to get a discount
 The doctor is confused due to hidden cost or
competition
 A habit of asking questions
 A strategy to postpone decision making

23. How do we tend to feel?
 Dejected
 Frustrated
 Angry
 Defensive
Challenging

24. How Should We React?
Don’t get aggressive.
 Pause
Do not disturb the customer.
Let him/her speak first.
 Stay calm.
 Don’t get defensive

25.  Unspoken Objection
 Objection that we hear
and cannot answer
 Objection that we hear
and can answer

26.  Doctor frowns
 Doctor looks elsewhere
 Doctor smiles
(sarcastic)

27. What do you do when such an
Objection Comes?
 PAUSE and then convert it into a
SPOKEN OBJECTION by asking:
You are thinking something Sir?
Anything particular Sir?

28. When you hear an Objection:
 Pause
 Probe gently

29. When you hear an Objection:
Probe gently
 Give your best possible solution?
 Are you satisfied with my answer?

30. Features we offer
but doctor does
not need
Find Out:
 Why the doctor may
not need it?
 How long will the
doctor not need it?
 Will the doctor ever
need it in future?
Product
features
that meet
the doctor’s
needs
Features the
doctor wants, but
we do not have
Find Out:
 Why does the doctor
want it?
 How important is it?
1) Essential 2) Desirable
3) Useful
 Can we explore an
alternative?

31. Psychological aspects of price:
 Price is the only weapon that the doctor has.
 Make sure YOU believe in your own pricing.
 Make the doctor feel that you are there to help
and not to fight.

32. The right stage to present the price:
NOT UNTIL the doctor has REALISED the BENEFITS of your
product
What does a customer pay for?
QUALITY
BENEFITS
CONSISTENCY
RELIABILITY
REPUTATION
BRAND NAME
SERVICE
YOU

33. SANDWICH METHOD

34. SANDWICH METHOD
STEP I: present the BENEFITS of your product
STEP II: put the price in front of the doctor
STEP III: JUST CONTINUE with explaining him/her
the features that he/she will derive out of this price

35. *
Handling Price Objection
STEP I: doctor objects
STEP II:
Medical rep : what are you comparing with, sir?
Doctor
: competition, perception, budget, past experience
STEP III:
Medical rep : how much is the difference we are talking, sir?
Doctor
: 20% (the faster he says this, ITS FALSE)
STEP IV: express the difference
STEP V: demonstrate the benefits passable when compared to the
difference

36. *
What prevents a medical rep from closing
EFFECTIVELY?
 FEAR
 UNCERTAINTY
 DOUBT

37. Why a medical rep may not
close well?
Too Early
Too Late
Too Meek
Too Aggressive
Doctor’s objections not resolved completely
Sales process not followed

38. When to close?
• The DOCTOR has understood your product
completely
• The DOCTOR has developed trust in your
company
• The DOCTOR has a desire for the benefits for
his/her patients